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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23236588">Coffee | WayV</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sthenomilke/pseuds/Sthenomilke'>Sthenomilke</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT, Nctzen, WAYV, WeiZenNi, Weishennie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action, Comedy, Crime, F/M, Gen, Lawyers, Mystery, Romance, Suspense</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 13:36:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,667</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23236588</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sthenomilke/pseuds/Sthenomilke</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>We met at a coffee shop... I will never forget the breezy autumn morning that I was able to gaze into your wonderful eyes for the first time. </p>
<p>—***—</p>
<p>Time. Time is a peculiarly funny thing. Sometimes, it feels as ephemeral as a brush of wind painting the green canvas of a forest; sometimes, it is as painfully slow as the cogs in a gigantic industrial machine. </p>
<p>Timing and chance are also incredible. When I first laid eyes on you, it felt as if a rose petal fell from a cloudless sky and caressed me... the chances seemed too slim to be reality. However, you were there, right in front of me. I felt my heart stop when you blinked thrice as if to adjust your vision. I wanted to look away, but our gaze was glued by nature’s circumstance. Two strangers stared at each other in an empty coffee shop. You were the first to break the warm contact while a rosy blush stained your rounded cheeks. I remember how you almost tripped on your way to the counter... I had to hold in my laugh. A laughter that would grace your ears for a long time. Do you remember, my love?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Coffee | WayV</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 1: Espresso </p>
<p>“You WHAT?! You have got to be fucking kidding me,” I screamed into my phone while running my hand through my hair in frustration. I put on my AirPods to get my notebook and start writing. It was 8:17 AM. “Yes, I’m here— no, that’s not how the law works. How do I— I’m an ATTORNEY! YOU WANT TO HIRE ME!— You know what? Call my law firm and tell them to give you another lawyer’s contact. If you won’t listen to me, we won’t be able to work together. Have fun rotting in prison after stealing a $42 BT21 plushie. Good day.” </p>
<p>A deep sigh escaped from me as I plopped down on my seat. What a great start to my day, I thought. Nevertheless, that would mean I could focus on more important cases. </p>
<p>You see, I am a criminal attorney. It’s my job to defend people charged with criminal offenses. Although common, disrespectful clients never ceased to stress me out. </p>
<p>A clearing of a throat made me turn around. “Excuse me, madam?” I nodded to the coffee shop employee speaking to me. “Your order: scrambled eggs with vegetables and bacon with an Americano,” he gently placed the meal before me, right next to my notepad. He gave a small smile. “Enjoy!” I muttered my thanks and cleared the space for my breakfast. </p>
<p>I was half way through my meal when my phone started buzzing violently. I looked at the caller ID and it was my boss. It was exactly 8:34 AM and my shift started at 9 AM. I took a sip of my coffee, a deep breath, and picked up the call. </p>
<p>“Good morning, if this is about the Smith case—“ </p>
<p>“It isn’t about that, don’t worry. When are you clocking in? And good morning to you, Rea!” </p>
<p>“At exactly 9 AM. Why?”</p>
<p>“Can you come in a bit earlier? I just got an email about a very important case that might make it into our firm,” my boss, Steve, said half-excitedly. </p>
<p>“No. That can wait until I get there.”</p>
<p>“Why?”</p>
<p>“I won’t rush myself while eating. Plus, that can wait 15 minutes, can’t it? I haven’t clocked in and I just lost a client, leave me alone. You may call me during my shift hours, 9-5, unless I’m with a client or we have a big important case, not the possibility of one. See you at 9!”</p>
<p>“Wait a minute, Re-“ I hung up before he could continue. We had a very good work relationship, since I was the best attorney under his department and in the firm. I had the highest success rate, and, yet, I took the least cases compared to my colleagues. I always had the complex criminal cases that seemed impossible to win, but, somehow, I managed them pretty decently. </p>
<p>Today just isn’t my day. It’s okay, Rea. Only about 9 hours until you can lie down on your bed again. Breathe, smile, and fake it. You got this, you fantastic bitch. </p>
<p>I finished my breakfast ten minutes later and headed toward my car to make my way to my office building. Once I got there, it was 8:52 AM. I paused for a moment and took in the urban scenery: the gray sky loomed over tall and imposing buildings. It had rained last night and the breeze was quite cool. Autumn had begun to strike Washington DC, a timeless yet ever-changing city. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You lost the plushie case?” Steve asked while pouring his third coffee in thirteen minutes. His hands were shaking. His caffeine addiction was a problem that got worse when he was stressed. </p>
<p>“Steve, we are the biggest law firm in DC and you’re telling me that you took in such a small case... what the fuck is wrong with you?”</p>
<p>“The girl comes from a rich family. This is about prestige, Rea. Forget about that, I’ll put one of the interns on it.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, since it was a brilliant idea to put your most overworked attorney on it in the first place,” I rolled my eyes while I updated my messy schedule that I desperately tried to follow. “Tell me about this new case.”</p>
<p>“Ah, yes,” Steven cleared his throat and beamed while I returned his intense gaze with an eyebrow raise. “Recently, the CEO of one of China’s biggest corporations got in a legal problem... here, in DC.”</p>
<p>“What type?”</p>
<p>“Not sure, I believe it’s civil...? It seems like a complex case, but we don’t have the details. He is coming over today with his personal attorney.” </p>
<p>“If it’s civil, call another attorney. My specialty is criminal law,” I replied nonchalantly.</p>
<p>“There’s gonna be a team of lawyers in the meeting, but I need you to be there, as well. All the best lawyers are gonna be there. You and I are representing our division. There will be one lawyer and head of division.”</p>
<p>“It’s that big, huh? Who is this person?” </p>
<p>“YangYang Liu,” Steve replied seriously and half-expectantly. </p>
<p>“And that is...?”</p>
<p>“You don’t know?”</p>
<p>“Am I supposed to?”</p>
<p>“No, not really. He’s the new chairman of the Alibaba Group conglomerate, a retail and e-commerce company. The biggest one in China, actually. That man could buy a government, if he so wished.”</p>
<p>“Let me guess, you found this on Wikipedia this morning after you got the call...”</p>
<p>“Rea, don’t expose me. How was I supposed to know who he was?”</p>
<p>“And you expected ME to know. Hypocrite,” I rolled my eyes and Steve clicked his tongue. “When is the meeting?”</p>
<p>“10 AM. Do you have any appointments today? If you do, we need to cancel them.”</p>
<p>“I don’t. I’m actually pretty well caught up with my cases. Almost all of them are awaiting trial,” I replied while writing in the meeting. </p>
<p>“So, you were gonna do nothing all day?”</p>
<p>“No, I was going to review my cases and read a bit. I have court twice next week,” I looked up from my schedule to see a worried expression plastered on Steve’s red face. “What’s wrong?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know, but I have a bad feeling about this case. Such a huge meeting for just one client... this could glorify or end us.” </p>
<p>“Well, we won’t know until the meeting takes place in about twenty minutes.”</p>
<p>“Should we take coffee with us?”</p>
<p>“No, you’ve already had three cups and I had my one daily one already. Let’s just hope they give us snacks and water.” </p>
<p>“How long do you think the meeting will be?”</p>
<p>“It depends. It could be really short or really long. I’m taking my fruit and water with me, just in case. You always ask me for reassurance, Steve. You’re our department head! You got this!” </p>
<p>“Yes, but you’re the best attorney in this damned law firm. I trust you, Rea.” </p>
<p>“Thanks. How’s your wife and kids?” </p>
<p>Steve’s face instantly lit up. “They’re great! How about you? I mean, it’s not like you ever open up to me about your private life,” he inquired. </p>
<p>“And I don’t have to, but everything is fine on my end,” I courtly, yet dryly, replied. I strived not to mix work and my personal life, due to the nature of my profession. My superior sighed deeply and nodded, giving up on his deposition. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The deafening ticking of a clock was all that could be heard inside the grand meeting room. The large and rectangular wooden table hosted the firm’s top attorneys; on one end, our CEO and on the other, emptiness. We had been waiting for Mr. Liu for exactly 17 minutes. Steve wouldn’t stop shaking next to me. I looked very small in a room mostly dominated by men, as I was so short and quiet... people might think I drowned among them, but, in truth, I swam ahead of them... I was the leader of this pack, the alpha, and they were well aware of it.</p>
<p>Suddenly, the door of the conference room opened and in entered two Asian men. The first one wore a plain gray suit with a black tie. His long-ish black hair was parted to the side, giving him a serious look. His fair skin was adorned by a stern, yet gentle expression. His big dark eyes scanned the room before making way for the second man. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Said man entered the room and the whole energy changed. His sharp features made him look like a sculpture and his scowl intensified his impact on the room. This was Mr. Liu. His intense almond eyes scanned the whole room; his gaze landed on me and he raised his left eyebrow at me. To respond, I narrowed my eyes slightly and his stare softened before continuing his study of the room. The room was tense until the first man who entered spoke up, showcasing a calming voice. </p>
<p>“Good morning, everyone. I apologize for our tardiness. I am Guanheng Huang, Mr. Liu’s personal attorney and the head of legal affairs in the Alibaba corporations,” he bowed politely. Our CEO stood up to greet them. Mr. Liu sat at the head of the table, silently glaring at his surroundings. He was right beside Steve, who was next to me, and Guanheng was right across from me. The young lawyer gave me a small grin once he sat down. Then, our CEO spoke up: </p>
<p>“Welcome, gentlemen. I believe I spoke to you, Mr. Huang?” The foreign lawyer nodded. “Well, here are the people you asked for. These are the top attorneys in our company. Now, we shall move onto the discussion of their portfolios. The first—“ a clearing of a throat interrupted him. Everyone turned and found that the source was Mr. Liu himself, who bore a serious and frustrated expression. His lawyer held his breath and knitted his eyebrows together in preparation for the worst outcome. </p>
<p>“As you know, I am an extremely busy person. I would appreciate it if we made this process faster,” Mr. Liu’s eyes scanned the room for the thousandth time in a span of minutes. “Who here has the highest success rate?” I instantly looked at Steve who was already looking at me; in an instant, all eyes were on me. Mr. Liu’s brow rose up. “So, it’s you?”</p>
<p>Oh, hell no, bitch. </p>
<p>“Hi, Mr. Liu, a pleasure. I’m Rea Ribelles and I’m a criminal attorney. I’m not sure if my services are what you are looking for,” I replied courtly while intensely gazing at the foreign businessman. “I would suggest Mr. Williams, who specializes in real estate, or Mr. Miller, who specializes in civil cases in general.” </p>
<p>The young CEO smiled brightly, showing his beautiful teeth; it seemed genuine and playful. Is this bitch clowning me? I thought. “I want the best lawyer here and, from what I gathered, it’s a woman. There’s only one woman here and it’s you. I don’t want anyone else to take my case, but it was fun to see such a reunion prepared for a person like me. I suggest everyone but Ms. Ribelles to leave... we must discuss my case, after all.” </p>
<p>I was about to stand and leave, but Steve squeezed my hand tightly to stop me from storming off. “Can you give us a moment?” Steve asked and Mr. Liu nodded with a mischievous eye smile. My boss motioned for us to have a talk outside the soundproof conference room. </p>
<p>“Are you crazy??!” Steve asked me. I was holding onto a glass window which had a view of the rainy, yet bright, city. </p>
<p>“That man, no, that little BRAT just embarrassed me in front of all those people. Can’t he take a hint?! I told you that I had no intention in working on this case, Steve. He can’t just fucking force me. I swear, I will quit the damn firm, if you or management don’t do something. I can get a job wherever the FUCK I want. Do you understand?” Steve nodded while pacing. “You people always throw the worst cases onto me and I’m tired. I haven’t taken a day off in five months. That’s abusive and illegal. Not even a damned sick day, Steve. I’ve only brought success to this damned place and you pay me back with harder cases. I am not a machine...” I sighed. </p>
<p>“I know, I know... I had no idea you felt this way. You are truly our ace in this crappy firm that, even if we’re the best in DC, is filled with mediocre attorneys. If I’ve given you a hard case, it’s because I believe only you can solve it. I was selfish and I am sorry, okay? Would it be better if I gave you an assistant? You’ve always wanted to work alone...” </p>
<p>“Steve, listen, we can talk about that later because right now we have a massive problem in our hands,” my boss nodded to which I sighed in return. “Let us think rationally... who could take this case besides me?” </p>
<p>“I could...” </p>
<p>There was silence for about two minutes... my mind was running miles while trying to find a solution. </p>
<p>“Hmm... true. I have an idea that would make us not lose the client, though.”</p>
<p>“Go on.”</p>
<p>“Let’s take the case on as a team and divide the workload. I wouldn’t mind taking it, if we put that condition,” I said, which birthed a hopeful expression on Steve’s face. “We could—“ the opening of the conference room interrupted my speech. Mr. Huang came out with a solemn expression. </p>
<p>“Hi,” he said in a stressed tone. “I’ll just drop the formalities and ask you very kindly to please take this case,” the foreign man stepped up a little too close to me and looked deeply into my eyes. I didn’t take a step back, but I glared at his invasion of my personal space, which caused him to retreat to his original position. He ran his fingers through his long-ish raven hair, undoing his neat hairstyle. His expression was apologetic... he was anxious. </p>
<p>“I feel like you’re about to burst,” I blurted. The young man nodded profusely while taking in a sharp breath. “Go on, you need to rant.”</p>
<p>“Thank you and I’m so sorry for stepping too close to you. YangYang has been my friend for years and he will not drop it until he achieves what he wants. Do you know the amount of migraines and anxiety attacks this little bitch has caused me throughout the years? I’ve known him since middle school... he has always been this intense, but recently it’s gotten worse to the point in which I cannot even be in the same room as him for too long, unless he behaves. Nevertheless, he is both my friend and my boss... he has gotten himself into a problem that might damage his reputation forever and might cost him his position in the company. Nobody wants that to happen, so, we need a legal team that is strong enough to represent him and resolve the problem. The main issue happened here; this is why we need a lawyer with an active DC license to back him up. Still, the issue is also occurring and might resurface in our country. We also believe it originated from there.”</p>
<p>“Mr. Huang, I believe this is something you must say inside the soundproof conference room... not in the hallway.” </p>
<p>“Please, call me Guanheng,” the young attorney smiled. “And yes, sorry... I tend to ramble when I’m stressed. The point is, we really need you... Rea? Is that your name? May I call you that?”</p>
<p>“Yes, and sure. Why don’t we just talk inside? Do you feel better now?”</p>
<p>“Y-yes. Thanks.”</p>
<p>“I’ll get you some water, Mr. Huang,” Steve said out of the blue. “You two enter and wait for me to get back. I assume the conference room will be emptied per Mr. Liu’s request?” With that, Steve nodded and walked off. </p>
<p>Thus, we headed toward our meeting with the fearful YangYang Liu.</p>
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